Abstract Volcanic eruptions have a significant effect on ecosystems, including soil and its fungal communities. Due to the eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle in 2011, thick tephra deposits accumulated in several Nothofagus pumilio forests in Northern Patagonia. The tephra deposition affected plant establishment and development during the post-eruption period. In this work we analyzed rhizosphere fungal communities associated with N. pumilio seedlings at three study sites sampled three years after the eruption, two with a thick tephra layer (50 cm) and a third site with no tephra deposition. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was performed for the different fungal communities (Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Total fungi). We found clear shifts in rhizosphere fungal communities, especially for Basidiomycetes and Total fungi. Site-related characteristics, such as type of substrate, light intensity and the existence of understory and previous mycelial networks, seemed to be the main factors determining the structure of these fungal communities. Given their sensitivity to different types of environmental change, these microbial communities could be used as bioindicators. Specifically, Basidiomycetes and total fungi seem to be better bioindicators of environmental changes than ascomycetes. The results shown here contribute to the understanding of how fungal communities respond to disturbance, an important issue in the evaluation of how ecosystem processes might be affected in areas commonly subjected to geological risks, such as volcanism. This information is also relevant to the planning and successful implementation of restoration activities based on seedling optimization by rhizosphere fungi.

Abstract The 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic eruption left vast areas of Nothofagus pumilio forests covered by high volumes of tephra, which buried the understory. This event offered a unique opportunity to analyse the impact of recent tephra deposition and the main environmental factors affecting the growth of N. pumilio seedlings. To this end, three study sites were selected and sampled three years after the eruption, two with a thick tephra layer (50 cm) but with different tree conditions: i) most trees alive or ii) most trees dead, and a third site, iii) with minimal tephra deposition. From each site, five N. pumilio 18-month-old seedlings were collected, morphometrically measured (shoot, epicotyl and main root length; shoot, epicotyl and root collar diameter), and environmental factors were also registered (light intensity, soil pH and conductivity, available P, bulk and particle soil density, and porosity). The main results indicated that three years after eruption the site with tephra deposition and dead trees (the most near to the crater) had the biggest seedlings, the lowest pH and the highest values for available P and light intensity. This temporally unique geological event showed that the regeneration potentiality of N. pumilio is high when environmental factors allow direct incident light on a substrate with high mineral content, even when the environment has previously been subjected to a significant degree of disturbance. Given the recurrence of volcanic events in Northern Patagonia, this subject merits further long-term study.

Inoculation with microorganisms represents an opportunity to enhance tree production, directly affecting plant growth or survival at planting. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of mixed inoculation with native mycorrhizae, two yeasts and one endophytic bacterium, on the growth of two poplar clones commonly used in Patagonia, Argentina. Yeasts and bacteria were selected base on their ability to produce IAA and siderophores, as well as P solubilization in-vitro. A greenhouse trial was performed using hardwood cuttings of Populus nigra ,Italica, and Populus trichocarpa ,SP1456,. Only yeasts modified growth traits, in a host-related response: Tausonia pullulans reduced the root/shoot ratio in P. nigra, and Candida saitoana and increased shoot dry biomass in P. trichocarpa. All plants presented arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization but ectomycorrhizae were absent. Two types of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization were observed, one of them similar to Glomus tenue. We found a tendency for a higher percentage of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization when plants were inoculated with T. pullulans. The used of native yeast along with mycorrhizal inocula appears to be a promising tool to improve poplar forestry.

ABSTRACT Knowledge of the occurrence and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in National Parks is essential for the establishment of policies for conservation. The aim of this study was to characterize the AMF communities in the Patagonian Altoandina region in Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina. We surveyed AMF spores associated with the rhizospheres of 9 plant species in the Patagonian Steppe (PS), Challhuaco Hill (ChH), Catedral Hill (CH), and Tronador Hill (TH) regions and detected a total of 27 Glomeromycota species. Acaulospora laevis was dominant at all sites. The AMF community was dominated by Acaulosporaceae, as regards the number of species and contribution of each one to the total number of spores. Three Glomeromycota families were detected at PS, the site with the lowest elevation; whereas five to six families were detected at ChH, CH, and TH. Cluster analysis indicated that the AMF communities were grouped according to habitat. We concluded that certain patterns of the AMFcommunity structure detected were equivalent to those of high-altitude environments from other studies, while others were unique to the Patagonian region; thus suggesting that historical influences like dispersion and speciation played a critical role in shaping AMF community composition in such high-altitude environments.

Yeasts have been associated with mankind from early ages. Among these, fermentative yeasts played the most relevant role, due to its importance in the food industry. The biotechnological implications of these yeasts have been extensively studied. However there is a lack of information about its distribution in nature and ecology. In this study samples of Cyttaria hariotii, ascomycete fungus parasite of trees of the genus Nothofagus, were collected in Nahuel Huapi National Park (Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina). 72 isolates were obtained using a selective culture medium with 8% ethanol. Identification of the isolates was based on morphological and physiological tests, and then sorted into five groups. Three groups were assigned to the genera Saccharomyces, Pichia and Kloeckera respectively. The Saccharomyces group was the prevailing one, and was sorted into three subgroups. Two of them were related to S. bayanus and /or S. uvarum. All the isolates were psychrotolerant and the maximum growth temperature ranged between 35 and 37 _C. This work contributes to the knowledge of the biodiversity of yeasts in the region and represents the first massive isolation of Saccharomyces yeasts in natural environments of Patagonia.

Las levaduras han estado asociadas al hombre desde épocas muy tempranas. Entre estas se destacan las fermentadoras debido a su importancia en la industria de los alimentos. Las implicancias biotecnológicas de estas levaduras han sido extensamente estudiadas, sin embargo la distribución en la naturaleza y la ecología de estas no se encuentra igualmente documentada. El presente estudio se realizó en el Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi (Noroeste Patagónico, Argentina) sobre Cyttaria hariotii, hongo ascomicético parásito de árboles del género Nothofagus. Mediante el uso de un medio selectivo con etanol 8 % se obtuvieron 72 aislamientos. Los mismos fueron ordenados en cinco grupos en base a pruebas morfológicas y fisiológicas, tres de los cuales fueron asignados a los géneros Saccharomyces, Pichia y Kloeckera. El grupo Saccharomyces presentó el mayor número de aislamientos y se subdividió en tres subgrupos, dos de ellos presentan alta afinidad con S. bayanus y/ó S. uvarum. La totalidad de los aislamientos fueron psicrotolerantes y la temperatura máxima de crecimiento osciló entre 35 y 37 _C. El presente trabajo contribuye al conocimiento de la biodiversidad de levaduras de la Patagonia y representa el primer aislamiento masivo de levaduras sacaromicéticas en ambientes naturales de la región.

This research proposes the use of culture medium added with 25 >g/mL of Rose Bengal and 200 >g/mL of Chloramphenicol. Under these culture conditions the yeast counts were about 10³ CFU/g of soil (approximately 4% of detected microflora). Isolation with and without a previous enrichment step was compared. Isolated yeasts were classified into 7 groups based on morphological and physiological characteristics. 10 different banding patterns were observed using MSP-PCR technique, which indicate the presences of at least 10 species. Different banding pattern was observed between cultures with and without enrichment, this revealed the need of using both isolation techniques in a complementary way to recover strains inhibited or underestimated by direct non-enrichment methods.

Se compararon las condiciones de cultivo para aislar y contar levaduras del suelo de los bosques nativos de Nothofagus spp. en la Patagonia de Argentina. En este trabajo se propone la utilización de medios de cultivo adicionados con Rosa de Bengala 25 >g/mL y 200 >g/mL de Cloranfenicol. En estas condiciones se obtuvieron recuentos de levaduras que rondan 10³ UFC/g de suelo (aproximadamente 4% de la flora microbiana detectada). Se compararon los resultados de aislamientos por el método enriquecimiento-remoción utilizando las condiciones sin-enriquecimiento y con-enriquecimiento. Las levaduras aisladas fueron clasificadas en 7 grupos por características morfológicas y fisiológicas. Utilizando la técnica de MSP-PCR se obtuvieron 10 perfiles de bandas diferentes, que indicarían la presencia de al menos 10 especies en el suelo. La obtención de perfiles de bandas diferentes en los ensayos sin-enriquecimiento y con-enriquecimiento revelan la necesidad de utilizar estas dos formas de cultivo de manera complementaria para la recuperación de otras cepas, inhibidas o subestimadas por el cultivo directo sin-enriquecimiento.